Compost List of Over 200 Compost Ingredients

Vegetable Trimmings/Scraps

15 points

Fruit Trimmings/Scraps

11 points

Used Coffee Grounds - from your home

9 points

Eggshells

9 points

Leaves - whole

7 points

Deadhead & pruning plant trimmings

7 points

Napkins/paper towels

6 points

Plants from your/others' garden - that have died

(but not diseased)6 points

Moldy stuff in fridge that you're finally cleaning out

(that do NOT include dairy or meat)6 points

Used Coffee Grounds - from a shop

5 points

Leaves - shredded

5 points

Clementines, Oranges, Pears, Apples, Cantaloupes

that got too mushy in fridge before you got around more...5 points

that got too mushy in fridge before you got around to eating them5 points

Tomatoes, Cucumers, Peppers, Zucchini, Celery, Lettuce

that got too mushy before you got around to eating more...5 points

that got too mushy before you got around to eating them5 points

apple cores

5 points

Halloween Pumpkins

4 points

Grass clippings - from mowing the lawn

4 points

Nut shells

4 points

Spent annuals

4 points

Scrap paper

4 points

Kleenex/tissues

4 points

Cereal Boxes

3 points

Dead bugs

3 points

Paper towel & toilet paper "tubes"

3 points

Orange, clementine, mango & melon peels

3 points

Newspaper - shredded, balled up, or as is

3 points

Junk mail

(but not glossies)3 points

Used Envelopes

(but not windows)3 points

cut flower arrangements that should have been tossed already

3 points

water/broth from steamed/boiled veggies

3 points

mushy, brown bananas

(that would be great in a banana nut bread, but no more...3 points

(that would be great in a banana nut bread, but no one has time to make it & no one is going to eat anything raw that's that brown & mushy)3 points

left-over coffee in the coffee pot

3 points

coffee filters

3 points

Human Urine

2 points

Beer

2 points

Stale pastries

2 points

A failed veggie side-dish attempt

(that no one will eat)2 points

Old spices & herbs

2 points

Frozen veggies - with freezer burn

2 points

dog fur

2 points

houseplants past their prime

2 points

uneaten extra 1/2 serving at the bottom of the oatmeal pot

2 points

mushy onions

2 points

squishy potatoes

2 points

"juices" from canned veggies

2 points

cardboard boxes

(big ones, shipping boxes)2 points

Holey underwear & socks

2 points

watermelon rinds

2 points

stale chips & crackers

2 points

guacamole turned brown

2 points

that exotic new veggie that you never got around to making

2 points

the now slimy fresh mint & parsley that you never did get around to using in your salad

2 points

fliers from the Home Owners' Assoc, & local vendors that are stuck in the door

2 points

store receipts

2 points

used To Do lists

2 points

Used coffee grounds from the office

2 points

cat hair

2 points

absolutely worn-out cotton rags

2 points

used tea bags or tea leaves

2 points

old wine you'll never drink

2 points

ugly grapes

2 points

all those "page 2 of 2" that you printer spits out that has nothing on it

2 points

rhubarb leaves

2 points

beet tops

2 points

green tomatoes that are too small to transform

into Fried Green Tomatoes2 points

moldy bread

2 points

OPL - other people's leaves

2 points

small twigs

(but only small amounts)2 points

lemon rinds after you've squeezed the juice

out of them for a recipe2 points

grapefruit skeletons after breakfast

2 points

cotton/wool felt scraps

2 points

weeds - without seeds

2 points

slugs

(to keep them out of the garden)2 points

vines, leaves & stems from bean plants,

and zucchini plants, and cukes, and . . .2 points

grape stems

(after you've eaten all of the grapes)2 points

the plate of food that you left on the kitchen counter

that the dog just licked (that's not meat or dairy more...2 points

that the dog just licked (that's not meat or dairy)2 points

pizza crusts that the kids hate to eat

2 points

Blood meal (dried blood)

1 point

Alfalfa pellets

1 point

Hay

1 point

Winter crop harvests

1 point

1 year old frozen left-overs

(without meat or dairy)1 point

Used food/Christmas shopping lists

1 point

rabbit, hamster, guinea pig cage cleanouts

(but not dog or cat droppings)1 point

bird cage cleanouts

1 point

moldy apple sauce from the huge unfinished jar

1 point

kids' lunch box left overs

(1/2 eaten pbj sandwiches, etc.)1 point

left-over breakfast toast scraps

1 point

the 2 remaining pancakes

1 point

the remaining peanut-butter in the jar

(because you're going on a diet)1 point

stale cookies

1 point

the gift of a fruitcake

(because no one is ever really going to eat it - a more...1 point

(because no one is ever really going to eat it - and you want the kind-thought of the gift to be transformed into more goodness)1 point

brown shopping bags

1 point

pressed board boxes

(that're used for packaging toothpaste, instant ri more...1 point

(that're used for packaging toothpaste, instant rice, crackers, pasta, Morningstar Frozen Foods, etc.)1 point

electric pencil sharpener empty-ings

1 point

hummus gone bad

1 point

the now-moldy bumper from the bumper crop of tomotoes

1 point

toe-nail & finger-nail clippings

1 point

notices from school & PTA

1 point

Shreds from the home/office Shredder

1 point

sewing & quilting fabric scraps & thread snips

1 point

moth-eaten wool sweaters

1 point

paper mache projects that didn't quite turn out as planned

1 point

IRS tax return forms that you won't use because you have a software program or CPA

1 point

moldy bottom of the pasta sauce jar

1 point

old baking soda (that was used to deoderize the fridge)

1 point

hardened, gongealed drink mix powders

1 point

every pressed board item (e.g. boxes, wrappings) that came out of the bathroom closet & draws that you finally decluttered

1 point

Christmas cards in February

1 point

any printed item along the line of "Go Yankees"

[See my Boston Red Sox - It's About Faith Squidoo more...1 point

[See my Boston Red Sox - It's About Faith Squidoo lens]1 point

the little paper peelings that teenagers create when

they're talking on the phone & peel the label more...1 point

they're talking on the phone & peel the label off of their Coke bottle1 point

assembly instructions after you've put the thing together

1 point

puzzles that are missing a few pieces

and so no one will actually do them anymore1 point

completed Sudoku & Crossword puzzle books

1 point

false propaganda letters from your opposing political party

1 point

hard-as-a-rock marshmallows

1 point

paper wrapper of the Ream of Paper

from your favorite office supplies store1 point

old recipe clippings

for recipes that you'll never make1 point

2-day-old bagels & donuts

that're past the dunking stage1 point

potato & carrot peelings

1 point

now-irrelevant business cards

1 point

pear stems & cores

1 point

pressed-board boxes that 12-packs of soda come in

1 point

pint & half-gallon ice cream containers

1 point

SAT vocabulary index cards

(after the tests ;)1 point

grocery store sales inserts in the newspapers

1 point

all of the paper bills that you pay online anyway

(that you've been meaning to put on paperless emai more...1 point

(that you've been meaning to put on paperless email notification)1 point

white rice, because you're going to replace it

with brown rice because white rice is so bad for y more...1 point

with brown rice because white rice is so bad for you, especially if you're a guy over the age of 401 point

cotton balls that you used to clean the dog's ears

(but not the ones that have makeup remover on them more...1 point

(but not the ones that have makeup remover on them)1 point

empty matchbooks

1 point

cardboard egg cartons

(but not styrofoam ones)1 point

the cardboard boxes that the dryer sheets come in

(but not the dryer sheets themselves)1 point

the spent blooms from the Butterfly Bush

1 point

mistletoe after Christmas

1 point

after-dinner plate scrapings

(but not meat or dairy)1 point

stale left-over dinner rolls

(if you're not going to get around to making homem more...1 point

(if you're not going to get around to making homemade bread crumbs)1 point

construction paper scraps

1 point

the dust-covered dried flower arrangement

in the living room, which is also bad feng shui1 point

all that tissue paper in the Christmas gift boxes

(if you're not going to save it for future gift or more...1 point

(if you're not going to save it for future gift or craft use)1 point

pressed board that almost every child's toy comes

intricately tied to with those million darn plasti more...1 point

intricately tied to with those million darn plastic twisties1 point

flower bouquets that you're saving in the freezer

from that special occassion that you can't remembe more...1 point

from that special occassion that you can't remember and that looks pitiful anyway1 point

junk faxes that you receive

(that you don't want to turn into scrap paper befo more...1 point

(that you don't want to turn into scrap paper before composting)1 point

price tags and store tags from new clothing

1 point

old cotton/wool kids clothes that are too stained or worn

to give away1 point

old shoelaces

1 point

pomegranate skin & membranes

1 point

outdated train, bus & subway schedules

(same goes for outdated maps too)1 point

warranty & instruction manuals for gadgets that you

don't have anymore1 point

wedding, shower & party invitations

(after the event if not going into the scrapbook)1 point

brown-bag school book covers @ the end of the school year

1 point

your teenagers' notebooks from last year

1 point

thank you cards that you received that

aren't making it into a scrapbook1 point

acorn hats

1 point

paper cups and plates

1 point

2-year-old mustard

1 point

popsickle sticks

1 point

the roll of paper towels that got left out in the rain

1 point

toast crusts that finicky kids don't eat

1 point

strawberry tops

1 point

scummy water in the flower vases

1 point

tissue boxes

1 point

solid rock brown sugar

(that still won't soften even after you put it in more...1 point

(that still won't soften even after you put it in the microwave or put an apple in it)1 point

the apple slices that you put in the brown sugar

bag to keep it moist1 point

the cinnamon buns that no one could finish

because they got a sugar headache from eating the more...1 point

because they got a sugar headache from eating the first dozen1 point

the half-melted ice-pop that your child left

melting on the kitchen table before they went outs more...1 point

melting on the kitchen table before they went outside to play1 point

rice krispie treats that turned so hard that they

will break your teeth if you tried to eat them now1 point

all food items in your fridge & pantry

that are not on your New Year's Resolution diet (e more...1 point

that are not on your New Year's Resolution diet (except meat and dairy)1 point

left-over water, tea, coffee, soda that sat out

over night1 point

apple cider 2 weeks past its prime

1 point

left-over spiked punch

1 point

half-eaten bagels & snacks still left in the car

from this weekend's road trip1 point

guacamole - that got brown while sitting out

on the table for several hours during the game-nig more...1 point

on the table for several hours during the game-night party1 point

toothpicks (yes, used)

unless you're really strapped for "browns&quo more...1 point

unless you're really strapped for "browns", then just dump the whole new box in1 point

the tomato that the ground hog took a bite of

and left it for you to pick up!1 point

last year's now-rotten bulbs

that never got planted1 point

Straw

0 points

Flat Soda

0 points

Hard, left-over rice from take-out Chinese food

0 points

BBQ & other Sauces that a past their expiration date

0 points

Fall Potted Mums that are not being planted

0 points

Crab apples

0 points

Popcorn - bottom of the bowl

0 points

hair brush & tub drain junk

0 points

sawdust

(but not tons - takes a long time to break down)0 points

dryer lint

(but not dryer fabric sheets)0 points

pine needles

0 points

seaweed & kelp

0 points

matches (used)

0 points

old jelly, jams and chutneys that got moldy before you finished the jar

0 points

the take-home bags of . . .

left-over spaghetti, mash pototatoes & gravy, more...0 points

left-over spaghetti, mash pototatoes & gravy, Sunday morning breakfast, baby eggplant in garlic sauce0 points

"heavy" or "lite" syrup from canned fruit

(the little that you didn't pour onto your yogurt more...0 points

(the little that you didn't pour onto your yogurt because you were being "good" calorie-wise)0 points

vacuum cleaner contents

0 points

pickle juice

0 points

dust bunnies

0 points

the sugar & flour that falls onto the table & floors when making cookies

0 points

soggy cereal left-overs

0 points

children's homework & schoolwork papers

(that just can't all be kept in the sentimental &q more...0 points

(that just can't all be kept in the sentimental "keeper" folder)0 points

used coloring books

0 points

old Halloween candy - especially the kind that no one likes

0 points

hard-as-a-rock Easter jelly beans

0 points

Valentine's Day chocolate box candies that you don't like

0 points

used dirt from container plants

e.e. summer window box annuals & container tom more...0 points

e.e. summer window box annuals & container tomatoes0 points

the pulp from the juicing machine

0 points

scrapbook decoration scraps

0 points

pine cones

0 points

the junk (minus the coins) in the couch seat cushions

(same for the car floor mats and seat crevices)0 points

golf tees

0 points

the melted remains of the 7-11 & QuickCheck Slurpy/Slushy Soda drinks

0 points

Inner Tubes of Paper Towel & Toilet Paper rolls

I use scissors to make neat loops, but then my DH more...1 point

I use scissors to make neat loops, but then my DH sometimes calls me obsessive (except when it comes to my closet ;) So, throw 'em in - it's similar but different than shredded paper!1 point

Cotton, Linen

Cotton is a brown or carbon. So, cut up some old "holey" more...0 points

Cotton is a brown or carbon. So, cut up some old "holey" cotton sports socks or underwear, and let your compost pile have a ball!

FYI, plant fabrics (cotton, linen) are "browns" while animal fabrics (silk, wool, angora) are slow-release "greens."0 points

Dryer Lint

As long as most of your clothes that generate lint more...0 points

As long as most of your clothes that generate lint are cotton rather than synthetic, your dryer lint can go into your compost pile.0 points

Sugar

If it's predominantly sugar, then it's a brown or more...0 points

If it's predominantly sugar, then it's a brown or carbon. Hey, you never knew that those uneaten Christmas candy canes would come in so handy, did you? Or, unfinished soda!0 points

Pressed Board Boxes

We save all of these & then have a box shredding, more...0 points

We save all of these & then have a box shredding, cutting & tearing party while we watch a good movie or sports game.

Do you know how many cereal, pasta, crackers, brownies, quinoa, Kleenex, Ziploc, garbage bag, tea bag, frozen spinach, and popcorn boxes a family of 3 stocks up within one month? AN AWEFUL LOT!!!0 points

Fallen Leaves

Now, Fallen Leaves are the ULTIMATE (in terms of nutritional more...0 points

Now, Fallen Leaves are the ULTIMATE (in terms of nutritional value) brown! I happen to live on the edge of a little untouched woods that's the little buffer zone backyard of just a few neighbors and me. So, me scooping up a few bagfuls of leaves (that get blown from my lawn into the woods by the grounds-keepers) each year, doesn't hurt the trees, the trees' soil, or the woods' soil a bit.

If you're not so lucky as to have open access to fallen leaves year-round like this, then this list is pr...0 points

Straw

Straw vies with Fallen Leavs as the ultimate nutritionally more...0 points

Straw vies with Fallen Leavs as the ultimate nutritionally valuable compost addition. However, most people add straw directly to the garden because it adds not only the nutrients, but also texture (or humus) and decomposes to nicely.

Remember, STRAW is a brown or carbon (because, it is a straw - meaning a tube - the insides have been taken out), and HAY is a green because that is the insides.0 points

Wood

Anything wood-related is a brown. But, wood takes a more...0 points

Anything wood-related is a brown. But, wood takes a long time to decompose, so you shouldn't just dump truckloads of pencil shavings into your compost pile (unless you're dumping truck loads of high-intensity grass clippings into it too!).

So, that means that golf tees and ground tree stumps and hamster bedding falls under this category.0 points

MORAL TO THIS STORY?

If you've got a question about a possible ingredie more...0 points

If you've got a question about a possible ingredient or what to put into your Compost pile, JUST ASK!0 points

Veggie Trimmings/Scraps

0 points

Fruit Trimmings/Scraps

0 points

Moldy Stuff in Fridge

But NOT dairy/meat0 points

Clementines, Oranges, Pears & Apples - that got too mushy

0 points

Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Zucchini, Celery, Lettuce - that got too mushy

0 points